New Delhi, Aug 22 (IANS): Former India cricketer Abhishek Nayar believes that fast-bowling spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, who returned to international cricket in the ongoing T20Is against Ireland, has been stellar, has increased the length of his run-up and is running in a lot harder than before while bowling his deliveries.
Making a comeback after a layoff of almost 11 months due to a back injury which needed surgery, Bumrah is a key figure in completing India's fast-bowling puzzle, especially with Asia Cup and ODI World Cup on the horizon. His figures of 2-24 and 2-15 along with rattling the batters through his variations have brought immense joy to Indian fans.
During the T20Is, many onlookers observed that Bumrah has added a few steps to his run-up and his follow-through has become big too, something which Nayar agrees with.
“Firstly, he’s been terrific in these two T20Is. I feel that through this Ireland series, there’s been a lot of belief that Bumrah is fit and raring to go,” Nayar said.
“Talking about the small changes that we have noticed unanimously is –- he’s lengthened his run-up and running in a lot harder than he’s used to. He’s very unique as he walks in a few steps before actually starting his run-up. So, I think that’s a small change which Kiran More pointed out, though I am not very certain about the change.”
“But from the outside, it looks like he’s running in a lot more harder and his follow-through has increased drastically and is finishing really well. So, that’s the change I have seen, but Bumrah has been terrific. It’s great news for him as well as fans of the Indian team that he’s firing on all cylinders with his variations,” said Nayar, a JioCinema expert, while replying to a query from IANS in a select virtual interaction.
Apart from Bumrah, fast-bowler Prasidh Krishna has been making waves with his comeback in international cricket. Figures of 2-32 and 2-29 in Ireland while bouncing out the batters with speed upwards of 140 augurs well for the Indian team ahead of challenging assignments in the next two-three months.
“I have been very, very impressed by Prasidh. He’s been a revelation just in terms of the pace he’s bowling and the execution, aggressive intent and attitude with the ball in hand. I think he’s been a terrific asset for Indian cricket and he must be utilised and looked after as you don’t have that many bowlers in India who are tall and get the bounce that he does.”
“When Ireland had a good start in the second T20I, he picked up two wickets upfront, outsmarting them with pace and bounce. That doesn’t happen a lot with Indian bowlers, which is very unique.”
“I have been very impressed by his comeback after back surgery and that tells you the amount of hard work he’s put in – both him and Bumrah -– with the way and speeds they have. It’s very heartening to see and he’s a very terrific prospect for India,” added Nayar.
In the second T20I, left-handed batter Rinku Singh made a huge impression on the minds of Indian fans with his fluid 21-ball 38 and taking the tourists past 180, enough to take an unassailable lead in the three-match series. That knock gave Rinku his first Player of the Match award in international cricket. Though he was slow to start, Rinku unleashed big hits in the last two overs to get the momentum in India’s favour.
Nayar feels number five is the apt position for Rinku to maximise his big-hitting power in T20Is. “For me, the number five position at which he batted in the last game (second T20I) is absolutely perfect. He can give himself time and then go to play his big shots. He is indeed a finisher, but he is also a capable batter who can make runs.”
“In international cricket, the ideal position for him, which the Indian team also needs, is at number five. If he gets to bat around the 10th over in T20Is for India, he can play the dual role of a finisher and a middle-order batter.”
As the assistant coach of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the Indian Premier League (IPL), Nayar has seen Rinku from close quarters ever since the left-handed batter joined the franchise in 2018 and then came into the limelight following his sensational five sixes in the last over against Gujarat Titans in 2023.
Asked about Rinku’s evolution as an individual, Nayar remarked, “When I spent time with him for the first time in the KKR set-up in Mumbai, he was very shy and was a guy with low self-belief. The one thing that has been a stand-out with Rinku Singh has been his ability to work hard, as well as to listen and learn.”
“He’s been very hungry to learn and as a person, what makes him stand out is that he’s an unbelievable guy to have in the dressing room and in general. He's always very happy, smiling, and happy for others' performances. He’s someone with whom you can share your performances and life events; always been a happy-go-lucky kid and an absolute entertainer.”
Nayar signed off by saying that Rinku is deserving of his success after many hadn’t given him a chance to bounce back post suffering a knee injury.
“Though we didn’t get to hear him in English when he got the Player of the Match award (in the second T20I), he’s someone who can really make you laugh and have a good time based on how he speaks in English. Overall, Rinku Singh has been a tremendous and rags-to-riches sort of story, with a lot of hard work, perseverance.”
“Coming back from knee surgery almost two years ago – just felt that there were a lot of people who felt that he couldn’t do what he’s doing today. Kudos to the KKR management and everyone involved in terms of being with him and a lot of credit also goes to Rinku for working hard on his game and achieving what he’s doing today.”